Convertible Garment

ABSTRACT

A convertible garment having a torso member, a length extension and two sleeves, the torso member adjustable to create three different lengths. The torso member having a lower length adjustor and an upper length adjustor on its interior, the lower length adjustor for being detachably secured to the upper length adjustor by folding the lower edge of the torso member inward and towards the upper length adjustor to create the shortest version of the garment, the length extension for being detachably secured to the lower length adjustor for creating the longest version of the garment. The lower length adjustor and the upper length adjustor are detached and the torso member extended to its full length to create the middle length version of the garment.

BACKGROUND Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to convertible garments, and more specifically to a dress which can be converted into different styles through the manipulation of its hem, neckline, and sleeves.

Related Art

Convertible garments are well-known in the art. These are garments which can be configured into more than one style, providing flexibility and the potential to save wardrobe space. Convertible dresses have been developed in the art to provide a number of solutions. More specifically, convertible dresses have been developed in the art to provide solutions for pregnant women as their size changes throughout the pregnancy. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,726 A discloses an adjustable dress wherein a single garment can be easily adjusted to comfortably fit substantially all wearers regardless of their particular sizes, shapes or weights. U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,595A discloses a convertible garment to be worn by a woman before, during and after pregnancy, which will provide a comfortable fit and appropriate attire for the working woman both pregnant and non-pregnant.

Convertible dresses have also been developed for providing bridal parties and their guests with formal attire with multiple neckline options. For example, U.S. Publication Number 2014/0123365 A1 discloses a strapless multi-use garment having a plurality of panels adaptable for multiple configurations that allows the multi-use garment to be worn in a wide range of stylish designs.

The present invention discloses a convertible dress providing a plurality of styles. The convertible dress being a wardrobe staple in each of its forms.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The present invention is directed to a garment which can be converted into three different lengths and which can be worn in a plurality of styles. The convertible garment allowing its wearer to change the style and length of the sleeves, to opt for a sleeveless look, to wear a hooded style, or to wear a mock neck style. The convertible garment including a torso member having an upper edge, a lower edge, a front, a back, and two sides, a neck opening on the upper edge of the torso member for receiving a wearer's neck, the neck opening having a collar extending from the neck opening, the collar having of a pocket for holding a hood, said pocket open and closed via a closure. The convertible garment further having a single leg opening on the lower edge of the torso member for receiving a wearer's legs and an arm opening on each side of the torso member distal from the leg opening.

The torso member adjustable to create three different lengths—a short length, a middle length, and a longer length. The torso member having a lower length adjustor and an upper length adjustor on its interior. The lower length adjustor for being detachably secured to the upper length adjustor by folding the lower edge of the torso member inward and towards the upper length adjustor to create the short length which is the shortest version of the garment. The middle length is formed where the lower length adjustor and the upper length adjustor are detached and the torso member is extended to its full length. Further, there is a length extension for being detachably secured to the lower length adjustor for creating the longer length which is the longest version of the garment.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only, and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and wherever possible, the same or like reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a convertible garment with the sleeves and length extension detached according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a convertible garment with the hood outside of the pocket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a convertible garment showing the shortest version of the convertible garment with sleeves and length extension removed according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an interior view of a convertible garment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5a is a magnified view of the interior hem showing the upper and lower length adjustors of a convertible garment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5b is a magnified view of the interior hem showing the process of folding the lower length adjustor inward towards the upper length adjustor in order to detachably secure the length adjustors to each other and create the short length of a convertible garment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5c is a magnified view of the interior hem when the upper and lower length adjustors of a convertible garment are attached according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a magnified view of a pocket of a convertible garment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the figures where similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the figures, FIGS. 1 through 4 show a convertible garment 100 having a torso member 101, a length extension 103, and two sleeves 132 a, 132 b. The torso member 101 having an upper edge 102, a lower edge 104, a front 106, a back 108, and two sides 110 a, 110 b. The torso member 101 also having a lining 105 on its interior. The lining 105 having a top edge, a bottom edge, and two arm openings. The lining 105 extending throughout the interior of the torso member 101 and ending at the bottom edge. The top edge of the lining 105 is flush with a portion of the top edge 102 of the torso member 101. The bottom edge of the lining at a distance ranging from 1.5 to 6.5 inches away from the lower edge 104 of the torso member 101. The lining 105 preferably made of an elastane blend fabric. The lower edge 104 having a single leg opening for receiving both of a wearer's legs. The upper edge 102 having a neck opening 112 for receiving a wearer's neck and a collar 114 extending vertically from the neck opening 112. The collar 114 having a pocket for holding a hood, the pocket spanning the length of the collar. The pocket opened and closed via a pocket fastener 120. The pocket fastener 120 is preferably a zipper but may be any fastening means known to one of ordinary skill in the art including hook and loop fastener, hook and eye fastener, snap fasteners, magnets, adhesive material, buttons, tie fasteners, strings or any combination thereof.

Each side 110 a, 110 b having an arm opening 130 a, 130 b closer to the upper edge 102 than to the lower edge 104, the arm openings 130 a, 130 b for receiving a wearer's arms. Each arm opening of the lining 105 hidden by the arm openings 130 a, 130 b of the torso member 101. The convertible garment having sleeve fasteners each comprising of two or more corresponding parts 131 a, 131 b, where one or more of the two or more corresponding parts of the sleeve fasteners 131 a, 131 b are on the arm openings of the lining and one or more of the two or more corresponding parts of the sleeve fasteners 131 a, 131 b are on each sleeve 132 a, 132 b, the sleeve fasteners 131 a, 131 b for attaching the sleeves 132 a, 132 b to the arm openings of the lining. The sleeves 132 a, 132 b may be of any style commonly known, which may include long sleeves, short sleeves, or three-quarter length sleeves. The sleeve fasteners 131 a, 131 b are preferably zippers but may be any fastening means known to one of ordinary skill in the art including hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, snap fasteners, magnets, adhesive material, buttons, tie fasteners, strings or any combination thereof.

The convertible garment 100 further including a lower length adjustor 134 and an upper length adjustor 135 both running horizontally around the interior of the torso member 101. The upper length adjustor 135 is on the bottom edge of the lining 105. The lower length adjustor 134 at a distance ranging from 0.5 to 4 inches away from the lower edge 104. The upper length adjustor 135 is at a distance ranging from 1 to 5 inches away from the lower length adjustor 134. The lower length adjustor 134 for being detachably secured to the upper length adjustor 135 by folding the lower edge 104 of the torso member 101 inward and towards the upper length adjustor 135 to create the short length which is the shortest version of the garment 100. The middle length is formed where the lower length adjustor 134 and the upper length adjustor 135 are detached and the torso member 101 is extended to its full length. The upper length adjustor 135 and the lower length adjustor 134 are preferably corresponding parts of a zipper but may be any dual-member fastening means known to one of ordinary skill in the art including hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, snap fasteners, magnets, adhesive material, buttons, tie fasteners, strings or any combination thereof.

The length extension 103 having a length extension adjustor 142 running horizontally around the top edge of the length extension 103 for detachably securing the length extension 103 to the lower length adjustor 134 of the torso member 101 to create the longer length which is the longest version of the garment 100. In an embodiment of the present invention, the length extension adjustor 142 and the upper length adjustor 135 are male parts of a male and female fastener and the lower length adjuster 134 is a female part of a male and female fastener. The length adjustors 134, 135, 142 are preferably corresponding parts of a zipper but may be any dual-member fastening means known to one of ordinary skill in the art including hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, snap fasteners, magnets, adhesive material, buttons, tie fasteners, strings or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the length extension 103 also has a lining 105.

In an embodiment of the present invention the upper and lower length adjustors 135, 134 and the length extension adjustor 142 all stop at stopping points 144, where the stopping points 144 may be 0 to 5 inches away from the center of the front 106 of the garment 100. The stopping points are equidistant from the center of the front 106 of the convertible garment 100. Each length adjustor 134, 135, 142 also having additional securing means 146, the additional securing means 146 extending beyond the stopping points 144 and preferably in the form of snap fasteners but may be any dual-member fastening means known to one of ordinary skill in the art including hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, magnets, adhesive material, buttons, tie fasteners, strings or any combination thereof.

In an embodiment of the present invention the torso member 101 includes a waistband 136 extending horizontally around the torso member 101 at a location where a wearer's waist would sit. The waistband 136 for providing cinching around a wearer's waist and may include elastic material or a drawstring threaded through tunneling in the fabric of the torso member 101.

The front 106 of the torso member 101 includes a closure 138 extending vertically through the center of the torso member 101. The closure 138 extending from the top edge of the collar 114 to an end point 140 which is approximately 1 to 10 inches away from the lower edge 104.

While any fabric known to one skilled in the art may be used, the preferred fabric is water resistant polyester for the torso member and the hood and stretch polyester for the sleeves and inner lining.

In some embodiments there are also pockets 181 on either side 110 a, 110 b of the torso member 101. Alternatively, the pockets 181 may be on the front 106 or back 108 of the torso member 101. The pockets 181 having means for charging a cellular device. The means for charging a cellular device including one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 wherein the one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 are rectangular. The one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 having a USB port for connecting a charging wire 182 to the one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 for charging a cellular device 184. The one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 preferably detachably connected to an outer surface of at least one of the pockets 181. However, the one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 may also be detachably connected to an inner surface of at least one of the pockets 181. The one or more flexible solar panel strips 180 detachably connected to the pocket 181 via any detachment means commonly known in the art, which may include hook and loop fasteners or adhesive fasteners. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there are sufficient flexible solar panel strips to deliver 5 Volts of power.

In some embodiments of the present invention the convertible garment may be folded and stored within the hood of the convertible garment and a drawstring tunneled through the edges of the hood may be used to secure the convertible garment within the hood.

This disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular assembly disclosed, but, to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A convertible garment comprising: a) a torso member, the torso member comprising a lining, an upper edge, a lower edge, a front, a back, two sides wherein each side comprises an arm opening, and a lower length adjustor; wherein the lining is attached to the interior of the torso member, the lining having a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the lining parallel to and distal from the lower edge of the torso member, the bottom edge of the lining further comprising an upper length adjustor extending horizontally along the bottom edge of the lining, the lining further having two arm openings, the arm openings of the lining corresponding with the arm openings on each side of the torso member, the arm openings of the lining hidden by the arm openings of the torso member; wherein the upper edge comprises a neck opening for receiving a wearer's neck and a collar extending vertically from the neck opening, the collar comprises a pocket for holding a hood, the pocket spanning the length of the collar, wherein the pocket is opened and closed by a pocket fastener; wherein the lower edge comprises a single leg opening for receiving both of a wearer's legs; wherein each side comprises an arm opening closer to the upper edge than to the lower edge; and wherein the lower length adjustor is parallel and proximal to the lower edge of the torso member, extending horizontally along the interior of the torso member on a portion of the interior of the torso member that is absent of lining, the lower length adjustor for being detachably secured to the upper length adjustor by folding the lower edge of the torso member towards the upper length adjustor to create the shortest version of the convertible garment; and b) a length extension comprising a top edge wherein the top edge further comprises a length extension adjustor extending horizontally around the top edge of the length extension, for removably attaching the length extension to the upper length adjuster or the lower length adjuster of the torso member to change the length of the convertible garment.
 2. The convertible garment of claim 1, further comprising two sleeve fasteners wherein each sleeve fastener comprises two or more corresponding parts, and further comprising two sleeves wherein each sleeve has a shoulder end and wherein one or more of the two or more corresponding parts of the sleeve fastener encircles the shoulder end of the sleeve and one or more of the two or more corresponding parts of the sleeve fastener encircles the arm opening of the lining, the sleeve fasteners for removably attaching the sleeves to the arm openings of the lining.
 3. The convertible garment of claim 2 wherein the sleeve fasteners are zippers.
 4. The convertible garment of claim 1, wherein the length extension adjustor, the upper length adjustor and the lower length adjustor are each single sides of a zipper.
 5. The convertible garment of claim 1, wherein the length extension further comprises a lining attached to its interior.
 6. The convertible garment of claim 1, where in the front of the torso member further comprises a closure extending vertically through the center of the front of the torso member for securing the convertible garment to a wearer's body.
 7. The convertible garment of claim 6, wherein the closure comprises a zipper.
 8. The convertible garment of claim 1, further comprising a waistband extending horizontally around the torso member for providing cinching around a wearer's waist.
 9. The convertible garment of claim 8, wherein the waistband comprises a drawstring threaded through a fabric tunneling.
 10. The convertible garment of claim 1, further comprising at least one pocket wherein at least one of the pockets comprises a means for charging a cellular device.
 11. The convertible garment of claim 10, wherein the means for charging a cellular device comprise one or more flexible solar panel strips connected to a charging wire, wherein the one or more flexible solar panel strips are detachably connected to an outer surface of at least one of the pockets. 